Selected Poems (House Item)
| altname =Selected Poems| }} Book Text A collection of poems. This collection was written by Dervin poets, relating different themes common to everyone: love, loss, and hope. "The Heart Remembers" Though scholars have debated the matter, the identity of the sultan and his bride remain a mystery. Some say it is a reference to Ahkari, the founder of Maj'Dul. The earliest versions of this poem pre-date the city by centuries, however. The dark of night Brings whispering winds And tales of fanciful dreams The sultan appears on his steed The heart trembles, The heart remembers The dreams of long ago The love he held For his young bride Her beauty and charm held him The sultan, lord of the lands, in thrall The heart remembers, The heart trembles Love's poem of long ago Love dreamt by night Made true by day And yet, the dreams they shared Were but delicate blossoms The heart trembles The heart remembers Ah, love lost long ago In their palace When he was gone She quietly awaits her love Through long cold days and sleepless nights The heart remembers, The heart trembles Love, so patiently, awaits "Sand castles" In the aftermath of the Rending, many poets wrote of the catastrophes that sundered the world. In this poem by Dervin poet Alyarrah Mahaat, the Rending is characterized as barrashar invaders arriving by sea. In my dreams I was a child In our home beside the sea We walked together to the shore Where I built a sand castle for thee Grey gulls cried out high above And the sun shone fierce and bright Warming the pearls of clear white sand That I shaped with my hands of delight Wind upon the turquoise sea Caps the waves with pale grey foam And draws dark ships closer Tarnish, growing in the silver gloam A ship, tall and black, arrives The day is now dark and cold And I hide behind my castle Longing for your hand to hold The barrashar pour forth from their ship Burning, trampling, destroying... My sand castle tumbled to dust And you... And all I love... Are now gone In my dream I was a child In our home beside the sea I walk, alone, along the shore Where I build a castle in the air And where I will wait for thee "The Saracen" The Saracen is legendary amongst the inhabitants of Maj'Dul. With his prowess in the arena, the Saracen champions changes in the laws that benefit the poor and most unfortunate. No one knows his true identity, for his face is veiled and he speaks to no one. Striding into battle, his face is veiled from view The Saracen arrives to the cheers of the crowd He nods, he bows, but he speaks not Yet all know what he will do on this day He will win today His beast with horns gleaming and sharp Had never been beaten in combat Its hooves are polished by the sand His bearing is proud and aloof He will win today Do you walk through Maj'Dul And not hear the cheering crowds? From lowest born to highest caste The Saracen is renown He will win today And when he wins, new laws are made He clothes the poor widows' children He feeds those who cannot pay He brings hope where none was before He has already won Credits *